


mala tempora currunt

by whereisthelove



Series: mala tempora currunt verse. [1]
Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, F/M, Romance, Verdant Wind route
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-30
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:46:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27289624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whereisthelove/pseuds/whereisthelove
Summary: Claude visits Lysithea on her deathbed.
Relationships: Lysithea von Ordelia/Claude von Riegan
Series: mala tempora currunt verse. [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1992556
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	mala tempora currunt

**Author's Note:**

> the title means bad times are upon us. (according to wiki).  
> this is just pain. whump. a lot of tears.  
> so basically, this is their paired ending, but if claude didn't leave the throne to find a cure for lysithea, and lysithea married him anyway. this is the verdant wind route, so there's that. forgive me for any typos, there was no beta.

“You look sickly,” is the first thing Claude says to her today.

“I feel sickly.” 

Lysithea gives a small grin towards Claude from where she lays on her bed as he gives a light laugh, taking a seat in the chair next to her. Her palm is faced upwards, and she doesn’t have to ask before he reaches over and grabs it, raising her knuckles to his lips.

His lips are soft and kind, and she wants to cry, but she’s tired of that, has been for a while. So instead she turns her head to look at him, even if it causes her pain and stares.

“How are your thoughts, Lysithea?”

“I,” she starts before she inhales. It hurts to breathe these days. “My thoughts are a bit faded, I can barely pick them apart. I need to ground myself, I admit.”

Claude still holds her hand, laying it on the white sheets of the bed, and smiles. “Anything you can place?”

Lysithea pretends to think. There are quite a few thoughts she could place, like standing and walking and Claude. Instead, she says, “I have been craving sweets and tea these days, apple cider.”

Claude laughs. “Then I shall take you out soon, maybe have the chefs whip up something for the both of us, and you can eat to your heart's content.” Lysithea can’t stop her smile from growing, her fingers spreading across her stomach as she looks at Claude, whose jolly energy is always infectious, at least to her. 

“I would like that, very much. I thought you didn't like sweets that much.” Claude shrugs, and Lysithea can’t help but giggle at his boyish charms. She remembers their time in the academy, their time spent together late night at the library, and- 

No, Lysithea thinks. No more.

Weakly, she squeezes his fingers and he looks at her. “How are your thoughts these days, Claude? What sways you?”

Claude hums and leans back, rubbing his chin with his fingers as he thinks. Then he begins his tale, his tale of alliances and work, his tale of Lorenz and Hilda and Ignatz and everyone. She’s comforted to know everyone from their house is doing well, and she watched Claude as he speaks, so helplessly in love.

Lysithea wants to reach over and touch his face, but she can’t, the ache in her body present. Instead, she squeezes his fingers as he talks to show that she was in fact there, listening to his worries and troubles. 

There’s something about Claude speaking, Lysithea thinks, that calms her. Her heart slows, and she hums a bit as she shifts in the bed, shutting her eyes.

“Are you sleepy,” he asks her from her side, and Lysithea opens her eyes a bit, vision blurry. She hums and shuts them again. 

“It wasn’t because your story was boring, no. Your voice...it calms me.” Her tongue feels heavy. “I could listen to you talk for hours. Oh, next time you come, you must tell me a bedtime story, alright Claude?”

“If that is your wish.”

“Oh, that would be very nice,” Lysithea feels herself, her grip on Claude’s fingers a bit lose. “Though I suppose you’re a king now, you won’t have time. Oh, Claude,” she starts to ramble. “I would like to have tea with you soon. Oh, we could have tea in the garden again, can’t we? I love the smell of flowers as we do.”

Claude hums. “That sounds like a plan, I’m looking forward to it.

Lysithea feels herself nod. Then she shifts in her bed, head faced towards Claude. She opens her eyes and stares at him, his smile, filled with grief but she doesn’t know why it would be. She needs to tell him, she’s only tired.

“I’m terribly sleepy,” she whispers against the will of her heavy tongue. “Won’t you stay until I drift off?”

“Of course.”

There's silence, and Lysithea doesn’t know if she slipped into sleep for a moment, but then she smiles again as she feels lips pressed into her forehead. 

“I love you, Lysithea.”

“And I, you,” Lysithea whispers back, not bothering to open her eyes to look at him again. 

And then Lysithea slips into unconsciousness. 

**Author's Note:**

> did she live, and just fall asleep or did she like, die? - me through my tears.


End file.
